Garment hanger



Jame 4, 1946.

R. w. COLWELL GARMENT HANGER Filed March 7, 1944 3nventor ROLAND W COLWfLL i.

(Ittomeg Patented June 4, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT HANGER Roland W. Colwell, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 7, 1944, Serial No. 525,350

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in garment hangers and the like.

The object of my invention is to provide a garment hanger in which a garment may be either inserted or removed without removing the gar ment hanger from the hook or other supporting means.

Another object of my invention is to provide a garment hanger in which cooperating gripping members adapted to hold the garment in position are urged into gripping position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a garment hanger in which the garment held therein causes the gripping members to grip in proportion to the stress exerted by the garment.

Another object of my invention is to provide a garment hanger which is economical to manufacture and which is easy and convenient to use.

My invention has many other objects, advantages, and features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description wherein I shall outline two forms of my invention, which I have selected for illustration in the drawing accompanying and forming a part of the present specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the garment hanger of my invention, partly in section showing the hanger in use.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the garment hanger shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the extreme limits of the movements of the gripping members.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the invention.

In the garment hanger shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the numeral l indicates a bar which has a hook II for supporting means and a yoke member l2 at each end of the bar.

The lower portions of the sides l3 of the yoke members l2 are cut away as indicated at M so that the end portions I5 of said yoke members extend below the center cut-out portions of said sides l3. Pins [6 are supported by said end portion 15. Mounted on the pins it are cooperating gripping members ll.

Normally, the gripping members H are urged into extended gripping position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. As an instance of this arrangement, springs [8 are provided which. are so mounted around the pins I6 and in grooves IQ of the gripping members I! as to efiect this result.

The gripping surfaces 2!) of the gripping members II are preferably saw-toothed or otherwise roughened in order to provide improved gripping surfaces.

Means are also provided to force the gripping members from extended gripping position into open position, that is, garment receiving or removing position, as indicated in-full lines in Fig. 3. As an instance of this arrangement, the gripping members are provided with projections 2| which extend below the sides I3 and which are adapted to be depressed in order to move the gripping members from gripping into non-gripping position against the action of the springs I8.

The trousers are inserted upward into the yoke members I2 at each end of the cufi. The trouser legs are positioned together, holding them with both hands between the thumb and the last three fingers of each hand, placing them beneath the hanger and with the two index fingers applied to the bar Ill of the hanger, inserting the trouser legs into the yoke members I2. As the cufi's 22 contact the gripping surfaces 20, the gripping members are automatically forced upward against the action of the springs. The trousers, when released, are firmly held in the garment hanger due to both the action of the springs l8 and the pull of gravity or force exerted which tends to draw the trousers away from the bar l0, actuating the gripping members and causing them to grip in proportion to the stress exerted.

In removing the trousers or the garment from the hanger, the garment is gripped on each side below the hanger, with the last three fingers of each hand applied against the palms of the hands, and with the two thumbs and two index fingers applied to the projections 2| and depressing said projections, thereby forcing the gripping members from gripping into inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 3, permitting the trousers to be removed from the hanger.

The bar and yoke members can be made in one piece of material or said parts may be made separately of metal, wood, plastic or other suitable material or combinations thereof. The gripping members may be made of rubber, plastic or other suitable material.

In the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 4, the yoke member is supported by means of a bracket 25.

It can be readily seen that my invention may be of any number of different forms with respect to length, number of yoke members, whether collapsible or not, etc. For example, instead of having a yoke member depending from each end of the bar l0, such yoke member may be used to extend substantially the entire length of the hanger. Likewise, instead of using pping members at each end of the hanger, single gripping members may be used which extend substantially the entire length of the hanger.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the uses, advantages, and operation of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. While I have described the forms of my invention which I now consider to be the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that the forms shown are merely illustrative and that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a garment hanger, the combination of yoke member, co-operative gripping members eccentrically mounted on said yoke member, means for urging said gripping members into gripping position and means adapted to be engaged in order to move said gripping members to non- M gripping position,

2. A garmenthanger comprising a bar adapted for suspension from a support, a pair of yoke members depending from the ends of said bar, and resiliently urged gripping members mounted on said yoke members, said gripping members in normal position being urged in gripping position and having portions adapted to be depressed in order to move said gripping members to nongripping position, said spring-pressed gripping members being eccentrically mounted in such a manner that they are automatically forced open against the action of the spring in positioning a garment in said hanger.

3. A garment hanger comprising a pair of supported yoke members, co-operative gripping members eccentrically mounted on each of said yoke members, means adapted to urge said gripping members to gripping position and means adapted to be depressed in order to move said gripping members from gripping to non-gripping position.

4. A garment hanger comprising a pair of supported yoke members, co-operative gripping members eccentrically mounted on each of said yoke members, and means adapted to be depressed in order to move said gripping members from operative to inoperative position.

ROLAND W. COLWELL. 

